New Beer Sunday (Week 758)

Interesting read, Dave.

 

I am telling you, I nearly fell off my chair on the patio when I discovered I'd had Double Two Hearted - I usually remember the "big ones," but that one escaped me, until I thought about it.

I was literally blushing, because I was SOOOOOO fired up to review Double Two Hearted.

I'll enjoy a bottle or two tomorrow whilst grilling some dogs.

But I'd be remiss if I did't underscore my disappointment tonight. I was really looking forward to reviewing that beer.

I'll get over it, but still.

 

Hello New Beer Sunday!!!

Well, I've made it: I no longer have to work 7 days a week anymore. I've finally got a day off - Sunday. It was a long grind, but I'm going to actually enjoy having a day to recover, and have fun.

Congrats to your grandson @lordofthewiens on his accomplishment. I stay away from religion, because I'm the black sheep in my family on that point. But if it makes you happy, go for it.

Now on to my final NBS post work beer.


From Junkyard Brewing - Bavarian Almond Bros.

I'm really enjoying this beer tonight, and I'm glad I picked it. I'll describe it in my review.

Review:

3.95/5 rDev 0%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

Pours a nice orangish color. Semi murky. 1 finger white head that dissipated rapidly. Some carbonation bubbles rising in the glass, and no lacing as the head dissipates.
The nose has notes of vanilla on it. I think I also smell the almond, but it's a very light aroma.
Taste - Lots of almond up front, mixed in with the vanilla. The cinnamon comes in to my palate on the backside.
The flavors make a pop feeling in my throat. The body is nice and thick. Smooth feeling also.
Tasty beer from Junkyard. The flavors all mesh well together.


I think this will be it. If so see you all next Sunday from Toppling Goliath in Decorah, Iowa.

 

Hey all! Just kidding about that Double Something Simcoe being my final NBS entry. I got a second wind and had a couple more beers before I recalled this was something I was interested in talking about for this thread. Weyerbacher has been kinda nonexistent in my area lately, and their last few anniversary ales have been hit-or-miss, so I picked up a single bottle of their 23rd Anniversary imperial "golden stout" a few days ago. I notoriously dislike and don't trust this style very much, but perhaps this will impress me... after all, I had a good example of a style I dislike the other night (Strawberry Shoppe, a milkshake IPA from Central Waters) so anything's possible!



Pours a deep amber color with a decent amount of haze. Solid head that dies down to about a quarter-finger after a few minutes. Darker than I expected, but not bad looking at all. Just doesn't have too much to it.

The nose is lightly fruity with some coffee grounds and vanillins melding with the hefty ABV which is rather strikingly present. Milk chocolate and roasty malts alongside a bit of caramel-flavored creamer and toffee-like notes. A decent amount of baking spice and phenolic notes here, too. This is surprisingly well-defined and weirdly reined-in. I didn't expect it to be focused as finely as it is, but I'm not disappointed at all.

Coffee, apple skin, light blueberry, and vanilla on the tongue with a cohesive toffee maltiness that keeps it all together. Sure, you can tell this is one stroooong beer, but it's not throwing its weight around in a way that suggests Weyerbacher had no idea what they were doing, which is something I have (unfortunately) felt from some of their stronger beers over the past few years. Cocoa powder coming out as it warms. Weird and surprisingly pretty good?

Feel is heavy bodied, which is how a "golden stout" (ugh) should be. Basically an American strong ale with some adjuncts to give it a stout-like flavor profile. The addition of Mosaic hops kinda makes it a bit unusual with some flavors I didn't expect (berries, mostly), but it's not hoppy in a traditional way. If nothing else, their approach to this is pretty cool and interesting in its own right. A fun-to-drink beer that's also a thought-piece and enjoyable throughout. From Weyerbacher. 2019 is really weird.

 

Hello Kinda Late Night NBS
Well it's hot here. And a bit humid too. But I am not complaining. I promised anybody who'd lend me an ear back in June, that they'd hear nary an utterance of misery from me regarding my usual seasonal grumbling of how damn hot it gets in August, September, October, and even November. My raison d'etre is to complain in our "spring" because we don't typically "have" a spring. But praise be to those on high, we actually had a lovely spring this year. And I try very hard to be a man of my word. And I said I will not bitch, I will not glitch. SO here it's hot, and I'm ok with it.
But since it is hot...a lovely IPA is called for.

Shatterspike by local brewery Unsung (although on a sad BA note, I still have not walked into their fine establishment, less than 5 mile from my home, and I even looked across the street on Thursday, pining to walk in their patio, mosey up to the bar, and order a pint. But alas, with kids in tow...some day soon.

I've had quite a few from these folks. And overall, I have quite enjoyed the majority of their offerings.

Clear golden nectar. White, loose fluffy head bursts northward, hovers, and then quickly changes course. What's left is a smattering of white clumps of bubbles.
Aroma is crisp, pithy grapefruit initially. Some bright floral citrus notes come through after the grapefruit flexes.
Taste is bordering juicy, but still definitely bright. Orange zest, grapefruit (less pithy at first, comes back later), a malt base that has an orange blossom honey nuance to it. And I dare say, I'm almost convinced of a Jasmine flower note.
Mouthfeel is on the lighter side, carbonation contributes a nice activity throughout. Finishes slick.
Overall, quite refreshing. Unsung has another hit.

3.96/5 rDev -2.9%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

 

Late to the party New American IPA Sunday:

Saint Arnold's Citrodos IPA, 6.1% ABV, 32 IBUs (7/15/19 born-on date)

The extra load of citra and centennial hops (more citra perhaps?) really shines in this one, for at six weeks old, it's still hopping around nicely. Grapefruit stands out first and foremost with just enough malt sweetness to balance. The hops also give off a greenish flavor, cilantro, green onions and lemongrass. It's exactly what I expected from a beer advertising citra. In fact, I think I've overrated it.

The review:
https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/337/360587/?ba=Premo88#review
4.4 (+17 rDev)

Cheers!

 

Yet another West Coast sour, this one from Bend, OR: Ale Apothecary's "Carpe Diem Mañana."

https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/29600/165768/



375 ml. bottle.
Brewed 10.2017.
Bottled 2.22.2019.
Bottles: 996.
9.64% abv.
Moderate to vigorous pour yields a 3/4 inch creamy white head over a golden copper body with nice lacing. Nose of citrus, white wine, and oak with some kind of herbal/floral thing going on as well. As it warms, a slight aroma of tropical fruit and herb vinegar comes through. Taste of citrus, plum, oak, and finishing rather dry with lemon and oak. Nice feel and overall, I would definitely have again; soon. Cheers!

 

Thanks to @vabeerguy for this Veil LVL. Judging from the few he's sent me, they clearly know how to make an outstanding TIPA. Both I've had this week rival Founders Devil Dancer. Finishing out the celebration of Cash's 12th (and likely final) birthday.





Pours a deep orange, very hazy with a thick, long-lasting head with great lacing.

The smell is loaded with bright citrus and that piney/bitterness I associate with a TIPA.

The taste follows with tropical up front, some melon, and orange.

The mouthfeel is thick, lingering, and velvet smooth.

Overall Veil clearly knows how to make a great TIPA. Very easy to drink for 11%.

 

Tonight it was Town Brewing Square Wheels Hazy IPA. Town is one of 4 breweries in Whitby Ontario. It seems ridiculous to me that a place like Whitby should 4 breweries. But, it does. Town isn’t the best of the four, but does make some good beer. This one was pretty good.



Pours a hazy straw/gold. Thick pillowy head with good retention and light lacing.

Broad fruity hop nose. Mango, pineapple.

Taste follows nose. Tropical fruit. Very slightly dank. A sweeter than expected finish.

Full mouth. Creamy.

This is a decent ‘hazy’ IPA. Too sweet for my expectations, but otherwise enjoyable.

Cheers.

 

Greetings NBS. It's been a while since I've posted but it feels good to be back. Anyways, lets get to the goods.
The first spectacle of the evening is Babbleship by Monkish Brewing out of Torrance, CA. Canned on 8/6/19, Babbleship is a double dry-hopped DIPA featuring Mosaic and Galaxy hops. Personally, I love the minimalistic can design as well as the name. Given the hop profile, I am even more ready to dive right in.

L: The beer is light yellow gold in color, something that is a staple in most Monkish hazy offerings. The color alone is something that I really like and have grown to prefer in beers in the NE style, although some, like my father, argue that it looks like spent dish water. Anyways, the color is great, and the complexity is rather hazy and murky offering zero clarity. Very minimal in terms of head but does yield moderate amounts of fine lacing.
S: Glorious! The majority of the smell comprises big aromas of various citrus and stonefruit, namely lemon, orange and apricot. A crackery yeast flavor is also prominent, meshing well with the bright aromas of freshly cut grass. Smell like lemongrassy/juicy/hop nectar. Galaxy is the domineering hop on the nose, but the more I shove my nose in, the more of that subtle mixed berry I pick up that is tell-tale of Mosaic. Fantastic smelling brew.
T: Bold flavors of orange, pineapple, papaya, apricot and peach with grapefruit, lemon, bubble gum, grass and a touch of pine on the finish. The aftertaste is citrusy and somewhat dank, no doubt the signature tracings of a Galaxy-implemented brew. The flavors are seemingly in equilibrium, comprising both NE-styled juice with a hoppy/dank finish. Galaxy flavor is dominant, but the berry flavor from the Mosaic does not shy away from the spotlight.
F: Damn near perfection. Smooth, full, soft, lofty and nearly on Cloud9. Medium in terms of both body and weight. The carbonation seems slightly higher than moderate and booze is completely undetectable. Stellar feel.
O: It is safe to say that I had some high expectations coming into this but I did not leave dissatisfied. The look, smell, taste and feel are all there, and tie together to create a great experience. I am very glad to try and I would definitely drink again/recommend.

Huge thanks to @HopHead89 for supplying me this with nectar.

4.55/5 rDev -0.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Cheers NBS!

 

Back again, with yet another message sponsored by @HopHead89
Brew 2 is Emerald by 450 North. Emerald is a 6% sour IPA featuring Citra and Mosaic hops, conditioned on key limes, vanilla and lactose. I lack experience with beers in the style, but I am looking forward to giving it a go. Let's see how it is, shall we?

Lours orange/yellow in color strongly resembling orange juice. Zero transparency as well as zero head from the pour. Lacing is no existent. Small streams of bubbles uprise from the bottom of the glass continually adding to a slight gasket-like ring around the perimeter of the brew.
S: Without a doubt, key lime is the star of the smell show. It is tart, salty, and, for lack of better terms, lime-y. I do not pick up on hops, vanilla or lactose. Lima is forsure hogging the spotlight, but it isn't an unpleasant aroma in the slightest.
T: As the smell would lend, the lime is pretty much all you taste. It is very tart and puckering with a decent amount of salinity. Both hop profile and vanilla seem lacking in presence, but I do get just a touch of lactose in the aftertaste. Nevertheless, I am a huge fan of limes and I do find this oddly refreshing.
F: Medium in body and light in weight. It is on the higher end of moderate in terms of carbonation but does have a sticky characteristic. No booze with ample fizzle on the tongue.
O: I am still warming up to sour IPAs, and while I wasn't sure what to expect from this, I am enjoying it. I am a big fan of limes and the flavor they bring, and I can see some being off-put by how tart it is. I do wish I could taste more of the IPA properties as well as the vanilla and milk sugar, but overall, this is one of the better beers in the style that I've yet to try. For what it's worth, the wife approves.

Big thanks to @HopHead89 for equipping me for this mission.

4.27/5 rDev 0%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

 

I remember all of those versions...but that Johnny Cash show was an obscure elusive memory. Thanks. Going to show my dad this post tomorrow!

 

Enjoy him while you have him. Dogs are a blessing.